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Yesterday I carved out a bit of end of summer classroom experimentation time. One of the projects I wanted to develop was a student-designed ear bud holder. They've crossed my radar a bit over the years, but I never really needed one. I used to keep my headphones plugged into and wrapped around my MP3 player, and would put it on a shelf in the house, or in the elbow box in my car. Recently, my MP3 player and GPS unit were stolen out of my car. So now my phone seems to have affirmed itself as the Spime of choice. The phone works pretty well with the music app, and Google Maps has a navigation feature that wasn't there when I looked before. It would actually be a perfect replacement for both of my former devices if my phone had an FM radio for local terrestrial audio. The problem is, where to keep the tangle of headphone wires?
As I consider ways to help students learn how to design for the laser cutter, it seems that a personally designed ear bud holder would be useful for me and attractive for teenagers in my classes.
My first step was to see what was already out there. I did a quick search, and turned up the owl ear bud holder that John Park wrote about a while ago. This was the first project that got me thinking of personally-made ear bud holders. The next one was Brett Beauregard's business card ear bud holder. On his site, he's got a bunch of info showing his path of creation for the design. I liked the features he came up with, so I used it as the basis of mine.
In my classroom, all of the software is Open Source, or otherwise legitimately free. Students have been doing their laser cutter design work primarily in Open Office Drawing, which I learned to use for fabrication at the Boston Fab Lab. It is kind of clunky, not particularly perfect and full featured, but gets the job done using software that students can have on any computer at home. We are using shapes that are filled with black or white, and placed with the Position and Size controls. The design is then exported as a .JPG and then imported to Roland Cut Studio and sent to the laser.
My Open Office document was set for millimeters, but initially, I wanted to work in inches. I started by plugging in the dimensions in fractional inches, but then I gave up and just used millimeters. It's way easier to set up consistent placement with metric than inches. The dimensional math is much more intuitive.
Using Brett's design, I positioned the circles and slots, and as I cut each iteration, I checked them against the ear buds I've been using lately. The first versions were cut out of some chipboard. It's unlikely that the first iteration of any project will work out perfectly, so using an inexpensive, readily available material at first is a good cost saver. This material has the added benefit of shortening the machine time. The first chipboard cuts took only 45 seconds. With a class size of 25, speed of cutting is going to be important. While working with the inexpensive materials, I was able to change the overall size of the holder, and added some slots to put the wires for the ear buds. By the time I got ready for acrylic, the basics of the design were pretty good. It turned out that the slots were not quite wide enough. John Park used larger circles than I did, so he didn't need the slots. My files are stored in a zip over on Thingiverse, and there are a few photos on Flickr.
This project will be about using the Engineering Design Process to create a design using multiple iterations. Students will make something that will be useful, and it will have a layout that they came to through their process of discovery. Their ear bud holder will be finished with an etching of words and graphics, all performed with the laser cutter and design software in the classroom. Students will have the experience of creating a design that they might otherwise have to buy, but probably couldn't get customized to their liking. They will gain some useful skills in the creation of this original, functional object.
An interesting option for the finished design will be to go into production mode. We could partner with the students in the business program to develop it as a proper product. These ear bud holders could be used as a fund raiser, sold in the school store, or they could even be sold through an online store.
If you're working with students in a maker oriented program, post up in the comments about how you might use a project like this. Do you have other successful projects that your students are developing? Even if you aren't in a class, how do you go about learning new skills?
8 thoughts on "Ear Bud Holder as Student Project"
As much as I'm impressed with both the design and implementation of the idea, would it not shorten the lifespan of the earphones/buds wrapping them around such tight angles?
This could be an issue. The metal in the wires will fatigue in the same places over time. I don't know how much it will take to become noticeable.
Perhaps to alleviate metal fatigue, you could scribe a continuous series of smooth indentations around all the straight edges – like a sine wave shape. Then, if each time you wrap the earphones, you randomly vary the location and orientation between vertical and horizontal loops, this might randomize where the wire is stressed enough to decrease the rate of fatigue in any one spot.I think the higher-end headphones use a fine braided wire that is more or less immune to this type of stress, unless sharply crimped. Longitudinal tension at the terminations is probably the biggest risk.
Well nice shared
pictures.Found them quite useful.ear buds like of any kind getting more and
more popular day by day.Thanks for sharing with us.
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David Beckham's squeaky-clean image as a British cultural icon has taken a battering following the leaking of expletive-strewn emails in which he apparently raged about not receiving a knighthood.
The former England football captain is said to have sworn in emails to his PR team after being told he would not be made "Sir David" by Queen Elizabeth II because of concerns about his tax affairs.
A spokesman for the 41-year-old said the emails, released by the Football Leaks website, were "hacked and doctored" to give a "deliberately inaccurate picture".
But there has been a backlash against Beckham from sections of Britain's tabloid media.
Monday's Daily Mail spoke of the "Shame of Saint Becks", with a columnist pronouncing him "a foul-mouthed, determined egotist" who had used charity work as part of an "increasingly desperate" bid for a knighthood.
Reports which emerged on Friday said the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star refused to put his own money into his humanitarian 7 Fund and tried to obtain reimbursement from the UN children's agency UNICEF for expenses met by his sponsors.
Outspoken television host Piers Morgan told his 5.47 million Twitter followers the revelations were "sickening" and exposed Beckham as a "fraud".
Beckham has not spoken publicly since the story broke, although he was pictured cradling his five-year-old daughter Harper on the Instagram account of his son, Brooklyn.
Cynics said even that was a crass attempt to show his best, fatherly side at a time of bad headlines.
– Miami project –
For a man who takes such care of his public image, it is likely to be a deeply distressing situation.
Beckham has maintained a high profile since retiring from the game in May 2013 following a brief stint with French side Paris Saint-Germain.
He continues to carry out charity work and fronts several advertising campaigns.
He has faced problems finding a stadium deal for the football club he plans to launch in Miami, but Major League Soccer chiefs confirmed recently that the team remains in line to become the league's 24th franchise.
He has managed to shake off previous scandals, both on and off the pitch.
He became a national pariah after his dismissal against Argentina was unfairly blamed for England's elimination from the 1998 World Cup, but fought back to become England captain.
Reports of an extra-marital affair in April 2004 were dismissed and did not tarnish Beckham's image as a loving husband to pop star turned fashion designer Victoria Beckham and father to their four children.
Beckham received an OBE from the queen in 2003, a lower honour than a knighthood.
His wife also received an OBE in the 2017 New Year Honours list despite her label being threatened with closure after failing to file company accounts.
She was criticised in British tabloid newspapers for telling her family she would be receiving the award before the official announcement.
– Brand Beckham –
Born in Leytonstone, east London, Beckham was a member of the fabled "Class of 92" crop of young players who emerged at United, along with Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville.
Blessed with an extraordinarily accurate right foot, Beckham was renowned for his dead-ball prowess and his seemingly limitless stamina, as well as his ever-changing hairstyles.
He won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the 1999 Champions League with United, creating both injury-time goals as Alex Ferguson's side stormed back to beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in the final.
After his relationship with Ferguson deteriorated, he joined the Real Madrid "Galacticos" to great fanfare in 2003, but would win only one league title during his time in Spain.
Beckham moved to Los Angeles Galaxy in a trailblazing trans-Atlantic move in 2007 and won two MLS Cup titles, whilst also spending time on loan at European giants AC Milan and PSG.
He captained England for six years and played at three World Cups, his 115 caps making him his country's third most-capped player behind Peter Shilton and Wayne Rooney.
"If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club, Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over one hundred times, and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy," he said in 2013.
Beckham's global celebrity turned him into a one-man marketing phenomenon with a glut of lucrative endorsements.
He is the face of firms including Adidas, fashion chain H&M and Haig Whisky and his shared fortune with Victoria, dubbed "Brand Beckham", is believed to exceed £500 million ($624 million, 582 million euros).

subset: commoncrawl


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SmartPAKs may not be available in all areas. Leased receivers and remotes remain the property of Golden West and must be returned if the service is canceled. The monthly cost doesn't include local, state or federal charges, retransmission fees or end-user fees. For customers who receive their bills on or about the first of each month, the long distance cycle runs from the 22nd of the month through the 21st of the following month and unused minutes do not carry over. For customers who receive their bills on or about the tenth of each month, the long distance cycle runs the 2nd of the month through the 1st of the following month and unused minutes do not carry over. This is an advertisement. Golden West shall not be held liable for errors or omissions in pricing. In the event of an error we will make every effort to accommodate our customers. Some restrictions may apply.


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Scene O – Let's go shopping
Duration: 00:01:02
How much is the t-shirt?
How much are the jeans?
It's $50.
I can afford these jeans at $50.
They're expensive. Do you have any cheaper jeans?
Can I pay by eftpos?
Swipe your card.
Put in your PIN number.
The students will learn to sign the numbers from 31 to 99.
Use the number flashcards you developed for Units 1, 2, and 5 to review the numbers to 30 with the students.
Show the flashcards in sequence, in random sequence, and in different number combinations to help them recall their learning by signing each number as they see it. Play Clip 1.1b, Clip 2.1c, and Clip 4.1b, which are about signing numbers, so that they can practise their signing along with the presenters.
If needed, select some activities from earlier units to help the students develop their number signing fluency. For example, see Activity 5.2.
Work in pairs
Have the students work out the number signing sequence for the numbers from one to 99 from the information available to them. Now play clip 16.1a so that they can check their thinking. Have them practise signing the numbers. They can work in pairs and make up their own number sequences to develop their signing fluency. Hand out Worksheet 16.1 (The numbers from 31 to 99) for their reference.
Pick out dollar amounts
Play Scene O – Let's go shopping and Scene P – What a bargain!, which the students viewed in Unit 15. Ask them to focus on the numbers that are signed and to identify what these are.
Now play scene P again. Ask the students to pick out the dollar amounts in this scene.
Show the scene again so that they can check the amounts. Have them note where these occur in the scene. The Scene P transcript will help you to respond to the students' guesses and questions.
Key information
Lead a discussion with your students based on the following information.
Issues around the accuracy of transactions involving money are important for all consumers, not just Deaf people. However, it can sometimes be difficult for Deaf people to know with any confidence exactly how much they have to pay if the total is not clearly displayed.
When shops used mechanical tills, it was easier for Deaf people to see the total displayed in the "pop-up" numbers at the top of the till. In shops where "till" amounts are not in full view, problems can arise for both the shop assistant and the Deaf person when communicating about amounts.
Supermarkets are an exception because the amount due for each item is scanned and is then usually visible to the customer, who can see incorrect prices and missing discounts.
Observe money transactions
Ask your students to observe how money transactions are handled when they are shopping. Encourage them to share their observations with the other students so that everyone can reflect on what they observe in terms of the needs of Deaf and hearing-impaired people.
Play Clip 16.1b: Words often-used when buying things, which introduces vocabulary for the unit.
Learning and rehearsing vocabulary
Have the students practise the vocabulary along with the presenters and then with each other. Replay the clip several times. In this way, they will develop their signing accuracy and fluency following the model. The sign for MONEY is the same sign as for HOW-MUCH, but they are mouthed differently. HOW-MUCH also uses the wh non-manual signal.
Hand out Worksheet 16.2 (Words related to shopping) for their reference and encourage them to practise signing the numbers from one to 99 and the new vocabulary to help them to build their fluency and confidence.
The students will ask about and will express costs.
Practise sentence patterns
Play Clip 16.2b: How much does this cost? and have the students practise the patterns along with the presenters.
Give the students copies of the sentence patterns from the Unit 16 overview to add to their resource base.
Play Scene P – What a bargain!. In signing, you can emphasise dollar amounts to indicate scale and intensity.
Ask them whether they noticed how Ella signed the dollar amount when she said:
Forty dollars for two! Cheap! TWO 40 DOLLAR, CHEAP |
The sign YOU-all includes more than two persons. The index handshape sweeps in a closed circling motion or in an outwards arc to include the intended persons.
Expressing costs in the context
To help your students to see more of how NZSL is used in the context of shopping, play Scene K – Food to go. This is the scene in which the group is in a fruit shop buying food for a picnic. Again, help your students to observe how feelings are expressed around costs.
For example, ask them to note how Charles indicates his sense of relief when he says:
Three dollars. That's cheap! I can afford that! 3 DOLLAR CHEAP, [Gloss: IX-me AFFORD; Non-manual signal: nod] |
Role-play a scene
Project the Scene K transcript or the Scene P transcript on a screen or hand out copies. As the students view the scenes, they can verify for themselves what is being communicated and identify the features you have asked them to notice.
Have the students practise role-playing one or both scenes. Play the scenes many times to ensure that they have a good model to follow as they develop their fluency in role-playing these situations.
The students will describe things and express quantity.
Play Clip 16.2a: I want to buy some jeans. Ask the students to work in pairs to practise the sentence patterns to develop their fluency.
Round robin
Have a round robin activity. The first student signs "I went to the shop". The whole class signs "What did you buy?". The student responds with something like "I bought a T-shirt". Continue this sequence, moving around the class.
If a student repeats an item that has already been mentioned, they are out. Tell them that they can make an item different by adding a colour, quantity, or size.
I went to the shop. IX-me GO SHOP | What did you buy? [Gloss: IX-you BUY WHAT; Non-manual signal: whq] |
I bought a shirt. SHIRT [Gloss: IX-me BUY; Non-manual signal: nod] |
Pair work
Hand out both copies of Worksheet 16.3 (Describing things and expressing quantity), Section A and Section B, to each pair, for an information gap task.
The students who have section A ask their partners for the information that is missing from their section. They write the information down in the gaps on their worksheet.
After that, the students with section B repeat this process to obtain the information they need for their section. The students then compare their sections to check the accuracy of their entries.
Using the same information, the students make up dialogues that include describing the items, asking about costs, expressing their feelings, and making a purchase.
Your students will perform role-plays to demonstrate their ability to communicate about costs and quantity when they are describing and buying things.
Choose whether the students are to perform their dialogues to other groups or to the whole class. Have them use the Unit 10 Assessment criteria and agree on the process to be used.
Setting up
Provide a fairly authentic context by setting up a "shop" with props. The props could include real items or pictures of the items for sale.
Discuss how your students feel they are progressing and what they still need to practise. Repeat some of the tasks used in previous activities if necessary. Play Scene P and Scene K several times so that the students continue to have opportunities to see NZSL being used in context.
Give the students time to prepare their role-plays and to practise them.
Tell your students that they are to work out the items being bought and their costs as they watch each role-play. At the end of each performance, have them check their comprehension with the presenters.
The students present their role-plays. Complete the assessment process you agreed on. Ensure that all the students receive some feedback on their progress and that they know what to focus on individually in order to progress their learning.


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Panels are available as both PDF images and Accessible HTML
PDF Images - Panel Content - Timeline
Please note that not every event falls easily into one category; these color codes are used to indicate trends in how disability has been viewed over time.
Panel 1 - Disability has always been, and will likely always be, a part of the human condition.
Panel 2 - Religion has played an important role in providing basic services and shaping attitudes toward people with disabilities.
Panel 3 - Persons with disabilities are treated as social problems and public burdens.
Panel 4 - Disability becomes a medical issue requiring the services of trained professionals.
Panel 5 - A gradual understanding of science leads to new and often painful treatments for persons with disabilities.
Panel 6 - Social reform and new ideas in education offer opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.
Panel 7 - The commitment to education and the quality of services decline with the increasing demand for institutional placement.
Panel 8 - The quality of services for persons with disabilities further declines with a growing suspicion of all people who are different.
Panel 9 - Persons with developmental disabilities are made scapegoats for many of society's problems.
Panel 10 - Persons with disabilities - over 200,000 - are the first victims of the holocaust.
Panel 11 - Services slowly become available to persons with physical disabilities; many with developmental disabilities are largely forgotten and abandoned in institutions.
Panel 12 - Parents assert their leadership and begin to organize on behalf of children with disabilities.
Panel 13 - Advocacy by parents leads to increased funding, better community services, and larger institutions.
Panel 14 - Influenced by the civil and human rights struggles of the 1950s and 1960s, people with disabilities begin to fight for their rights.
Panel 15 - Disability is no longer limited to moral or medical definitions; it is now viewed by many as a social construct.
Panel 16 - People with disabilities face new opportunities and threats as America's largest minority.
Panel 17 - Persons with developmental disabilities advocate for themselves and others with disabilties, proclaiming "we are people first!"
Panel 18 - Thousands of self-advocates across the world speak for themselves and fight for social change.
Panel 19 - Activitsts remember the past and work to ensure that crimes and mistakes are not repeated.
Panel 20 - Naming and claiming who we are, where we come from, and where we want to go.
Panel 21 - Disability is an art. Disability is a unique way of life.
Panel 22 - Connection to a different time in history - Seeking Full Participation.
Panel 23 - Connection to a different time in history: Community Integration for Everyone.


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Recently by M.D. Creekmore: 22 of My Favorite Blogs, Books andProducts
The very idea of leaving the security of your home to bug out to the woods has never sat well with me In nearly every instance its better to hunker down or bug in than to bug out. I mean, why leave the safety and familiar surroundings of your home, for the open and unforgiving wilderness.
For many people this is their first line of preparation against disaster, unfortunately, most will end up joining the multitude of other refugees freezing in a cave and eventually end up dead or wards of whatever government is still functioning.
I live in a fairly safe area and have prepared to survive at home and can conceive of only a few scenarios that would force me to leave. Even then, I would go to an out-of-state relatives house with whom, I have a pre-arranged agreement, where if need be he can come to my place or I to his after a disaster.
I know what youre thinking what about an end of the world as we know it type event, well if such an event were to take place, there would be no 100% safe place for most of us, and really do you think you would be better of making a go of it in the open wilderness as opposed to hunkering down at home.
Dont get me wrong, Im not saying we should never bug out to the wilderness; we should indeed keep all our options open, what I am saying is that there are better ways to survive most disasters than heading into the bush.
You need to weigh the risks of bugging out vs. hunkering down and make your final decision based on logic and type of threat. Thats the way decisions should be made, unfortunately many people when making plans for survival side with emotion (that emotion being to run and hide) instead of the more tried and true form of decision-making known as logic.
Relying on emotion instead of logic can make for some interesting adventures; however without sound planning beforehand those adventures are likely to be sort lived. For example, I recently asked a fellow in his late 30s what he would do if disaster struck his area.
He thought for a moment and said he would gather his family and all the food, guns and ammunition he could find and head for the mountains that lay some seventy-five miles to the north of his home.
Depending on the type of disaster, his plan might work short term for a lone survivor or a small group of individuals in good physical condition with proper gear and mind-set. But he is a new father and his wife is one of those that think missing an appointment at the nail-salon is the end of the world as she knows it.
Making matters worse he has no outdoor survival training or skills other than watching reruns of Less Strouds Survivorman and camping at a national park campground with all the utilities and hookups. Why he thinks he can survive off the wilderness while dragging his family along, I dont know. He isnt thinking logically.
His decision was based on emotion and as a result if he ever has to put his plan to the test in the real world his family will likely suffer or die because of his decision and Red Dawn thinking. Unfortunately, this batman in the boondocks mentality is and will continue to be the chosen survival plan for many who havent thought it through.
When making survival plans for your family you have to honestly weigh the risks of your decision based on logic. In almost every disaster scenario, it is better to stay put (bugging in) or head to a pre-arranged safe place at an out-of-town relatives or friends house than it is to head to the woods to eat twigs and pine bark.
For most people an evacuation bag is a better choice than a bug out bag. An evacuation bag should contain the gear necessary to get you from point A to point B, whereas a bug out bag (in most cases) is geared more toward wilderness survival. I have both, but admittedly my bug out bag is an option of last resort.
Knowing when to go is much more important than the contents of your survival pack or even where you will go. You dont want to jump and run before you need too, but you dont want to wait too long or you may never reach your destination.
If you wait for the authorities to give the order to evacuate it may already be too late. The roads leading to safety could be blocked and impassable by motor vehicle and walking to your destination may be impossible or too dangerous to attempt.
On the other hand if you jump and run in response to every potential disaster youll soon deplete your resources and the patience of your family, school and employers. For example, say you live in an area prone to tornadoes like Texas and you evacuate to Arkansas every time the clouds turn dark or the wind shakes the leaves. You would literally stay on the road. But waiting until the twister is at your door will put you at an unnecessary risk.
There are no easy answers; all you can do is weigh the dangers of bugging out vs. hunkering down depending on the situation and logic. You have to consider the nature of the threat and ask yourself which gives the best chance of survival with regards to the type of disaster you are facing.
Then, there are times when evacuation is a no brainer, say you live on the Florida coast and a category 5 hurricane has been predicted to hit that coast within twenty-four hours, in that case you would be stupid not to go now, even if you have no prearranged bug out location
On the other hand lets say there is snow storm heading your way and you have food, water, heat and a way to cook even if the power goes out for an extended amount of time then you are probably better off to hunker down where you are.
In my opinion the bugging out vs. hunkering down debate is moot because it all comes down to the type of threat, your personal situation and preparedness level in the end youll have to make that decision based on that knowledge and common sense.
Do you plan to bug out or bug in please let us know in the comments below
Join thousands of preppers and get all my survival tips for FREE! Subscribe to The Survivalist Blog dot Net via RSS or via e-mail.
M.D. Creekmore [send him mail] is a full-time blogger and preparedness consultant. He currently lives completely off-grid somewhere in the Appalachian mountains and is the author of 31 Days to Survival and The Dirt Cheap Survival Retreat both published by Paladin Press. To connect with M.D. Creekmore please visit his Survival Blog.


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Truck accidents cause serious injuries to the victim and sometimes it may also lead to permanent disability or wrongful death. If you are involved in such accident, you should immediately call for the help of a truck accident lawyer in your area. With the help of these, you can easily win the case and get the justice for your case. There are many benefits of hiring these lawyers for the truck accident cases.
In these kinds of cases, most often the offender will be an employee of a company. In a car or motorcycle accident, the offender will be an individual. The laws and the procedures are not same for both these type of cases. Since truck accident cases require the expertise of a truck accident lawyer, who has knowledge of all the laws and procedures involved in these cases. Most often in these cases, you will not get the compensation from the offender's insurance provider. You will get the insurance from the insurance provider of the employer. They may try to reduce the amount of insurance or neglect you from paying up the right amount of insurance. You need to hire a lawyer with years of experience in these types of cases since you may not have any idea regarding the insurance you can get for your medical expenses. Truck Accident Lawyer
Sometimes the accident may also occur due to the malfunctioning of any of the parts of the truck. In such cases, you have to add the manufacturer of the truck into you lawsuit. Also, the manufacturer should be accused of the repaired parts such as brake, tires, engine, etc. These kinds of works can only be done by the truck accident lawyer. You cannot expect this in lawyers who have expertise only in the personal injury or car accident cases. Truck Accident Lawyers
Since the truck accidents involve huge damages to the victim than the car or motorcycle accidents, the compensation you have to quote should be higher than the amount quoted for normal cases. Truck accident lawyers will be ready to make such claims to the offender and get the maximum compensation for your loss. They should also get the compensation for your family members who are also involved in the accident. Trucking Accident Lawyer
When searching for these kinds of attorneys, you should know about the history of these attorneys by looking over their previous cases. If you still not sure about the expertise of the lawyer, you can get feedbacks from their previous clients and find about them.


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Notes4Hope builds a community around the healing power of music to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research and prevention initiatives.
With support from my friends and family, I have survived an over 2-year fight against breast cancer. It was after Mark planned a surprise "FUCANCER" party for me (which included a live band with lots of friends) that we decided to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer by planning more concerts. ….And Notes4Hope was born!
On April 11, 2011, I was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (aka Breast Cancer). In June of 2011, my right breast and subsequently my right arm lymph nodes were removed (2 surgeries within 2 weeks). The tumor in my right breast was much larger than expected and therefore, I endured 6 months of breast cancer treatment starting in July 2011. With a port in place, I underwent 8 rounds of ACT chemotherapy followed by 25 consecutive days of radiation to my right breast, ending treatment on December 12, 2011.
My journey continued.
In March of 2012, I elected to have my left breast, ovaries and tubes removed as a preventative measure. This rare type of cancer is not easy to detect and removing hormone producing organs increases my chance of survival.
Unfortunately, in July of 2012, I developed an infection that could not be treated with oral or intravenous antibiotics (no tissue, no cells, no blood, no relief), and had yet another surgery to remove my expander. Pathology results indicated I had a bad case of mold. Yes, mold! I took a strong anti-fungal medicine for 5 months to eradicate the mold. Once cleared, reconstruction could begin.
During the summer of 2013, I underwent 15.5 hours of reconstruction surgery. I now have a "tear-drop, gummy bear" implant in my left breast and a "butt breast" on my right. What's a butt breast, you ask? Doctors transplanted an area from hip to crack on my left upper buttocks by painstakingly connecting every vein and capillary, and shaping that into a breast. I have a few more fat transfers and corrections to go, and then I should be done. The really good news is that I'm currently healthy and…cancer-free!
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Hello, everyone. Here's part two of my Guitar Strength blog, "10 Commandments of Playing Guitar in the Style of Dimebag Darrell." Be sure to check out part one right here.
Commandment 6: Change Your "Tune"
One of the things most unique to Dimebag throughout his career was his use of altered tunings. From Cowboys From Hell to Reinventing the Steel, Dime constantly challenged the preconceptions of how a guitar should be tuned. Early on, when tuned "regularly" to E (E, A, D, G, B, E), Dime's guitars were actually tuned down more than a quarter step. As his guitar tech has noted, that meant that the guitars were tuned to "D# plus 40 cents on his Korg tuner. The A string was G# plus 40 cents, D was C# plus 40 cents, etc." (Note: The Van Halen influence is definitely in effect here, as Van Halen I and Van Halen II are tuned in a similar manner.)
Dimebag also experimented with "drop D" tuning on Cowboys From Hell (C# plus 40 cents), but later become a fan of tuning the entire guitar down a whole step, beginning with A Vulgar Display of Power. This tuning (D,G,C,F,A,D-a quarter step flat) was used extensively on "Walk" and "A New Level." Further use of this tuning was used on Far Beyond Driven ("Becoming," "I'm Broken," "5 Minutes Alone," etc.), and by Reinventing the Steel it was Dime's main "standard" tuning.
Never one to be limited, Dime also used a "drop D down one step" (C,G,C,F,A,D), and "down 1 ½ steps" (C#,F#,B,E,G#,C#). The last, which is the same tuning used by Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, was a favorite of Dime's on The Great Southern Trendkill ("Drag the Waters", etc.), and became the new standard by the time of his band Damageplan (New Found Power), though Dime was also known to use "drop D down 1 ½ steps" (B,F#,B,E,G#,C#).
It is important to note that Dime was not a fan of the mid-'90s trend of using 7-string guitars, and his use of alternate tunings clearly reflected a rebellion against this trend while also allowing him to get a sound equally (and definitely more) heavy than that of his 7-string wielding counterparts. Also, these "slack" tunings allowed for a different sound, "vibe," and feel when playing the instrument, inspiring Dime to create many of the greatest riffs and licks of our lifetime.
Commandment 7: Get Chromatic
As evident in the proficient use of symmetrical fingerings in his playing, Dimebag was never one to shy away from "outside" playing. In fact, he actually shied away from using scales and modes in any traditional fashion. While clearly knowing what and where notes would be in key, Dime would often use the notes "between" scale tones as a way to create a mood and add tension. These chromatic licks, using passing tones between scalar tones, made up a large part of his playing. To demonstrate, example 17 is a lick that Dimebag would often use to bring a solo to a crescendo. Not only does the lick sound good, it's extremely easy to finger, allowing more musical movement in a limited physical space.
Another thing Dime would often do is take a simple lick like that shown in example 18, and simply move it chromatically.
Example 19 shows the lick moved chromatically up the neck one fret at a time, while example 20 shows the same lick moved chromatically down the neck in the same fashion.
Chromatics weren't just a lead technique however, as Dime would often use chromaticism in his rhythm playing. This was only one component of his "lead-rhythm" technique, but when used in a riff it was extremely powerful in creating movement, texture, and mood. Example 21 shows the use of chromaticism in a Dime-style rhythm riff.
Another use of this technique, this time moving downward chromatically, is depicted in example 22.
As with all of the other techniques used by Dime, there are countless possibilities available for variation, and experimentation in your own riffs and licks is highly encouraged.
Commandment 8: Go "Off"
In a similar vein to the use of chromatics, Dime made extensive use of the wrong" notes in any given key, often featuring them in his riffs and licks." For example, the notes diatonic (in key) in E minor are E,F#,G,A,B,C,D. Being that there are only 12 notes (A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab) in the octave, there are 5 notes that are non-diatonic when in any given key. Therefore, when in E minor, the five notes that are non-diatonic are F, G#/Ab, A#/Bb, C#/Db, and D#/Eb. Theoretically speaking, these intervals (relative to the root) are the flat 9, the major 3rd, the flat 5 (tritone), the major 6th, and the major 7.
Dime was a skillful manipulator of these "outside" notes, often using them as the focal points in his riffs and licks. Unlike other players who would view using these outside tones in the manner of modal substitution (playing lines based on relative modes which use these alternative notes), Dimebag looked at all 12 chromatic notes as part of a greater, more cohesive, all encompassing "super-scale," with no-holds-barred usefulness of all notes relative to the root.
As we've previously looked at the use of the major 3rd, and the flat 5/tritone is a metal and blues staple that speaks for itself, we'll look at Dimebag's use of the other 3 intervals in his playing. As an excellent example of this use of the "wrong" notes in a given key, example 23 uses the flat 9 (F) and major 7 (Eb) played against/in unison with the E root.
Example 24 uses the flat 5 and major 7th.
Example 25 uses the major 3rd and major 6th as the prominent intervals.
Commandment 9: Play "Texas-Style"
One of the overall coolest aspects of Dime's style was that he never played in a "normal" fashion. No matter the note or chord, Dimebag always articulated it by putting a little "English" on it. In "Dime-speak," this was known as playing "Texas-Style." Dime would play notes/chords with any number of techniques (sliding, bending, muting, mutating with the whammy bar and/or pedal, etc.), making them drip with style.
Accomplishing this sort of playing is as simple as throwing a slight bend or artificial harmonic on the notes in a chord. Another method is taking "target" notes written for a riff and then playing them by approaching them from a ½ step below and bending into them. Example 26 is a riff using this technique.
Example 27 is the same riff played non-"Texas-Style." Notice how much more interesting it is with the bends and harmonics?
Example 28 shows how Dime would get extreme mileage out of just 2 notes (E and F) through the use of slides and micro-bends. Palm mute the open E notes for maximum effectiveness.
I suggest really listening in depth to your favorite Dimebag riffs and licks and checking out the nuances that make his playing so special. The personality that Dime put into his playing truly took the Van Halen mantle and raised the bar.
Commandment 10: Find Your Tone
No discussion of Dimebag would be complete without making mention of his most recognizable attribute: his tone. No player since Van Halen (there he is again) has had such a personal, powerful, seemingly unattainable guitar sound.
Dimebag "stumbled" upon his tone when he won a Randall half-stack in a guitar contest. The important thing to note is that Dime found something in this rig that was unique and worth working with. From there, he sought to "clean up" the sound with an MXR 6 Band Equalizer (the blue one). Further tweaks consisted of installing Bill Lawrence L-500 humbuckers in his guitar and adding a Furman PQ-4 (later a PQ-3) Parametric Equalizer. The beauty of all of these outboard devices was a controllable form of preamp gain. Dime used the hot Bill Lawrence humbuckers to push the MXR EQ (set to a mid-boosting "frown face") to push the Furman (set to boost the highs and lows while scooping the previously boosted mids) to ultimately drive his Randall (solid state Century 100 or 200 heads) into overdrive. By using the unique cascading forms of gain, Dimebag was able to sculpt a tone all of his own.
The conclusion to make here is that Dime favored pushing the front end of his amps with a frequency-specific form of gain, as opposed to all-encompassing overdrive.
With all of this gain running, yet another of Dimebag's famous tricks comes to play in the form of a noise gate. The noise gate allowed Dime to boost his input levels while eliminating all of the uncontrollable noise and feedback that usually accompanies such high levels of gain. Also, the gate allowed for Dime's infamous "power-groove" holes of silence in his playing, allowing the instrument to respond naturally to his touch, while controlling all of the extraneous consequences of high-volume, high-gain playing.
Over the years, Dimebag has been associated with quite a few products:
-the Randall Warhead (he never used it on any album, and used it live only for his clean tone. The Century 100 and/or 200 heads were a constant staple of his tone. However, speaking personally as an owner of the amp, the "Dime-tone" is there, as well as many other extremely cool sounds.)
-the Digitech Whammy Pedal: Get one, there's countless hours of inspiration available.
-the Krank Krankenstein: While never actually used by Dime (he had been helping design it in the months leading to his death), the amp is a departure from the solid state leanings of his past (it's tube). I will say that as an owner of the Krankenstein, the amp is a powerful tool for sculpting your own tone.
Having said all of that, the most important thing to learn from Dimebag about tone is that it is a personal journey of discovery. There already was a Dimebag Darrell and he owned the tone he played with. Tone is a personal thing and is an individual pursuit that each individual player must constantly strive to achieve. Use Dimebag's tone as an inspiration to seek your own voice, but find in his own tone the tools to help you discover your own (for example, using various gain boosters).
In closing, the legacy left by Dimebag Darrell should serve to inspire the next guitar hero living among us. Learn from the master, and be inspired to take your playing to the next level. So grab your guitar, crack open a Coors Light, pour yourself a Black Tooth Grin, and "Getcha' Pull!"…
Scott Marano has dedicated his life to the study of the guitar, honing his chops at the Berklee College of Music under the tutelage of Jon Finn and Joe Stump and working as an accomplished guitarist, performer, songwriter and in-demand instructor. In 2007, Scott developed the Guitar Strength program to inspire and provide accelerated education to guitarists of all ages and in all styles through state-of-the-art private guitar lessons in his home state of Rhode Island and globally via Skype. Visit Scott and learn more at www.GuitarStrength.com.


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[This article has also been posted Here.]
A large fraction of the public still does not accept the most basic facts of modern geology, such as the notion that the earth is many millions of years old. For example, fully 45 percent of Americans insist that the earth was created at some time within the past 10,000 years [Gallup2004].
Much of this skepticism stems from the creationist movement, which has gone to great lengths to criticize the radiometric methods used to date rocks and fossils, such as Carbon-14, Rb-Sr and the K-Ar methods. Creationists cite "anomalies" that have been noted in the scientific literature as evidence that these methods are "unreliable." As a single example, creationist Henry Morris [Morris2000, pg. 147] has highlighted the fact that K-Ar measurements of rocks from a 1801 lava flow near a volcano in Hualalai, Hawaii give apparent ages ranging from 160 million to 2.96 billion years, citing a 1968 study [Funkhouser1968].
So what are the facts here? How reliable are these measurements?
Indeed, geological dating methods, like the vast majority of scientific measurement techniques in many disciplines, are subject to anomalies. But such anomalies are hardly a secret in the field — they have been studied extensively in the literature, and most are well understood as due to various known phenomena — e.g., selective leaching of certain minerals from rocks, remelting of the specimen in the interim, or, in the case of Carbon-14 dates, historical variations in the rate of formation of Carbon-14. Modern dating procedures include steps to avoid such problems, and to cross-check results.
Along this line, because of its relatively short half-life, Carbon-14 measurements can only be used to date relatively recent items — i.e., less than about 50,000 years old. Thus any "anomalies" that Carbon-14 dating schemes may be subject to are completely irrelevant to the question of whether the earth is many millions of years old. With regards to the Hualalai lava mentioned above, this is unusual because it includes numerous xenoliths, typically consisting of olivine, an iron-magnesium silicate material, that are foreign to the lava, having been carried from deep within the mantle (as the authors of the 1968 study were careful to explain). These and other "anomalies" are analyzed in exhaustive detail in [Dalrymple2006].
Most recent radiometric measurements are very convincingly self-checked via "isochrons" — multiple data points from a single sample or rock layer are plotted, and the best straight-line fit is used to calculate the age. If the data points do not line on a very nearly straight line — if some lie far from the line — that indicates that the sample has been subjected to "anomalies" (for whatever reason), and the resulting dates are not reliable. If however they do all lie very nearly on a straight line (which nowadays happens most of the time), then this is compelling evidence that the data are reliable [Bailey2010a; Bailey2010b; Dalrymple2006; Stassen1998; Stassen2005].
New, high-tech equipment has eliminated many of the difficulties that afflicted earlier measurements. For example, the "SHRIMP" ion microprobe now in use in numerous laboratories around the world can reliably measure U-Pb and Pb-Pb ages from spots only 0.02 mm (i.e., 20 micrometers) in size within a zircon crystal [Dalrymple2004, pg. 60-62]. New dating schemes have been developed, such as the Argon-40-Argon-39 method, that are not vulnerable to some of the difficulties that potentially can afflict other schemes. Often it is possible to use completely independent dating methods on the same samples, thus providing some very strong cross-checking.
So what is the best explanation of the "anomalies": (a) that every one of tens of thousands of careful, recent measurements, made using the latest high-tech equipment, self-checked with isochrons or the equivalent, are all simultaneously in error by nearly six orders of magnitude? or (b) that the handful of remaining anomalies that have not yet been fully explained are subject to some reasonable natural phenomenon that in time will be well understood? Obviously the second explanation is overwhelmingly more credible. Those who try to sweep enormous mounds of high-quality, consistent data under the rug are guilty of what is often referred to as the "forest fallacy" — i.e., someone who picks faults with the bark of a handful of trees, and then tries to claim that the forest doesn't exist.
Overall, the picture painted by the large body of studies that have been published in the field is an extremely consistent one — when the same fossil layer is tested, anywhere in the world, the date is the same. As biologist Kenneth Miller notes, "The consistency of the data … is nothing short of stunning." [Miller1999, pg. 76]. Of course none of this matters much for those who have no wish to be convinced by the geological record. But for the rest of us, there is no room for doubt.
- [Bailey2010a] David H. Bailey, "How are the dates of various geologic ages and fossil layers calculated?", available at Online article.
- [Bailey2010b] David H. Bailey, "How reliable are geologic ages?", available at Online article.
- [Dalrymple1991] G. Brent Dalrymple, The Age of the Earth, Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA, 1991.
- [Dalrymple2004] G. Brent Dalrymple, Ancient Earth, Ancient Skies: The Age of Earth and its Cosmic Surroundings, Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA, 2004.
- [Dalrymple2006] G. Brent Dalrymple, "Radiometric Dating," available at Online article.
- [Funkhouser1968] J. G. Funkhouser and J. J. Naughton, "Radiogenic helium and argon in ultramafic inclusions from Hawaii," Geophysical Research Journal, vol. 73 (1968), pg. 4601-4607.
- [Gallup2004] Gallup poll, available at Online article.
- [Miller1999] Kenneth R. Miller, Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution, Cliff Street Books, New York, 1999.
- [Morris2000] Henry M. Morris, Scientific Creationism, Creation-Life Publishers, El Cajon, CA, 1985, reprinted 2000.
- [Stassen1998] Chris Stassen, "Isochron Dating," available at Online article.
- [Stassen2005] Chris Stassen, "The Age of the Earth," available at Online article.


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Small Business Taxes
Filing and paying your business taxes is something that every small business owner inevitably faces.
To help you better prepare for tax season, we asked small business owners and accountants for their best tips for doing business taxes. From balancing the monthly books to investing in a POS system, there are several ideas that may help you prepare business taxes for years to come.
Here are nine tips for doing business taxes:
- Maximize Technology Tools
- Completely Separate Personal and Business Finances
- Hire a Professional
- Invest in a POS System
- Balance The Books Monthly
- Cultivate a Relationship With Your Accountant
- Determine Which Deductions Are Appropriate
- File Correctly and Take Note of Deadlines
Maximize Technology Tools
Business taxes can be streamlined if technology tools are employed in the right way, at the right time. When financial institutions send electronic statements, don't delete them. Rather, download, scrutinize, and reconcile the transaction in your e-statements. This way, you'll be more prepared for the final process of filing your taxes. Additionally, use accounting software to compute your business earnings, expenditures, and other financial information. Many accounting tools have built-in tax preparation features and will permit the linking of checking accounts and other financial documents. Using technology tools reduces the attendant stress and frustration of doing business taxes, so maximize them.
- Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam, Time Doctor
Completely Separate Personal and Business Finances
When you're first starting out in your small business, it can be tempting to just throw something on your personal card instead of a business card. You might even tell yourself you'll deal with separating it later.
It's best to begin with completely separate finances because it can get really muddy, really quickly, especially if you're audited. Get a business credit card and never mix this with personal spending. Pay yourself a wage, just like you would with an employee. These steps will keep your finances officially separate and it will be easier for you to keep track of for the entire fiscal year.
- Holly Mills, Thrive Cuisine
Hire a Professional
Some business owners think they'll save money by doing taxes themselves. However, this can be a hefty experience since they might miss something and become legally liable. If that happens, they're more likely to pay penalties and end up spending more than if they were hiring trusted professionals. That said, if you're a small business owner trying to cut costs on every side, don't cut it on the most important things such as taxes. Hire a professional, and peacefully focus on what you know the best.
- Eduardo Litonjua, Passive Income Tree
Share Insurance Premium Payments
While life insurance premiums are categorized as a personal expense, - and therefore not tax-deductible - other insurance premiums may be deductible for the self-employed or if health expenses exceed 10% of your AGI (adjusted gross income). Be sure to share which insurance premiums you are paying to your CPA or accountant. The more they are aware of expenses you are incurring like health insurance premiums, the more tax professionals may be able to itemize.
- Chris Abrams, Abrams Insurance Solutions
Invest in a POS System
A POS system that integrates with your chosen accounting software makes revenue tracking more manageable. In this set-up, it is easier for you or your accountant to determine how much tax you owe the government.
If your POS tool doesn't integrate with your accounting software, you must manually audit every transaction. However, that is time-consuming and inefficient, especially since there's a cheaper way to automate the process.
- Stephen Light, Nolah Mattress
Balance The Books Monthly
Previously, I didn't balance the books every month because, like most small business owners, I was doing a million things at once. Who had time to do accounting? Let the CPA handle the mess at year-end. But then, I decided to hire a bookkeeper to balance our books on a monthly basis. A very smart decision! Balancing the books every month not only makes tax preparation a lot more painless but up-to-date financials ensure that the information you are basing business decisions on is accurate and reliable. I'd highly encourage any small business owner to seek bookkeeping help. Your future self and your CPA will thank you later.
- Brett Farmiloe, Markitors
Cultivate a Relationship With Your Accountant
It's important to have a good relationship with an accountant so that when anything comes up or you have an urgent question you both are already on the same page and have a good rapport. Before you cultivate that relationship though, you need to really, thoroughly vet your options. Make sure they have experience with your type of business and check all of their reviews, especially on social media where people are usually most outspoken with their opinions.
CPAs are required to partake in continuing education so don't just settle for someone who says they're licensed. Make sure they've upheld the maintenance as well.
- Camille Chulick, Averr Aglow
Determine Which Deductions Are Appropriate
Profits are treated as pre-tax income at both the federal and state level. It doesn't matter if you pocket it personally, distribute it as a profit-sharing bonus, or put it right back into business improvements. That sum is still all taxable.
However, you can at least lower your total liability by strategically allocating money toward deductible expenses. This is especially important in your business' earliest years when you're eligible for things like startup tax deductions, which lowers your liability even more during an especially crucial period. It takes a little research to determine which deductions are most relevant for your organization and growth goals, but it's worth it.
- Jim Pendergast, altLINE
File Correctly and Take Note of Deadlines
Make sure you have the correct IRS tax form. Depending on your business operations, whether it's a sole proprietorship or an LLC, forms are different. For example, you can use a Schedule C attachment or file through corporate taxation (Form 1120 or 1120S if you're an S-Corp).
Once you fill out the necessary forms for your business, take note of the filing deadlines. Schedule C forms merge with your Form 1040, including your deadlines, which are normally on April 15. Form 1120 should be filed by the 15th day of the fourth month after the tax year has concluded, while Form 1120S should be filed by March 15th. All of this is separate from your personal income tax return.
- John Li, Fig Loans
Copyright © 2023 SCORE Association, SCORE.org
Funded, in part, through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.


text: Searching for the most creative, talented wedding vendors from Australia and New Zealand for your wedding? You've landed in the right place. Refine your search based on vendor type, the location they're based, as well as the venues they service. And once you've found a vendor you love, get in touch with them directly via their profile on our directory to ask any questions or arrange a booking.


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Glacier Bay: A Place You MUST Come and See
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate John Muir explored the fiords of Glacier Bay in 1879 in a sixty-foot, spruce canoe with a Tlingit Indian guide. I'm glad to be aboard The Spirit of Adventure, a 150- passenger catamaran with two glass-enclosed decks to roam, and an open deck on top for viewing. Our Captain, a jaunty young woman with a ponytail down to her waist, is wearing a crisp naval white and blue uniform. The introduction to the cruise, given by the ship's naturalist, a national park ranger, is interrupted by the sighting of a sow with two cubs. While I scan the... Read More


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Jag hittade den här hos Frida och tänkte att nu måste jag också göra den här. Jag har sett den lite överallt men inte riktigt fastnat, men nu. Ni får första senare idag.
Day 1: Your fave book.
Day 2: Your fave movie.
Day 3: Is there any of the films adaptations that have made you angry because they've ignored important parts of the book.
Day 4: Least fave female character and why.
Day 5: Fave male character and why.
Day 6: What house would you want to be in.
Day 7: Fave female character and why.
Day 8: What do you think would be your fave lesson.
Day 9: Least fave male character.
Day 10: Horcruxes or Hallows.
Day 11: What character would you say you are most like.
Day 12: Fave ship.
Day 13: Least fave movie.
Day 14: Team Voldermort or Team harry.
Day 15: Who would be your best friends at hogwarts. (three only)
Day 16: Fave professor
Day 17: Are you excited about The Deathly Hallows movie or scared it won't do the book justice.
Day 18: Least fave book.
Day 19: Do you prefer the books or films.
Day 20: If you had to meet one member of the cast, who would it be.
Day 21: Out of all the characters that died, if you could bring one back, who would it be.
Day 22: Harry Potter or Twilight
Day 23: Any part of the books/movies that makes you cry.
Day 24: Any particular scene you wished would have been put in the movie but it wasn't.
Day 25: Nineteen years later. Are you happy how it turned out, or do you wish something was different, ie Neville married Luna.
Day 26: If you could be able to work one spell without a wand what would it be.
Day 27: Would you rather own The Invisibility Cloak, The Resurrection Stone or The Elder Wand.
Day 28: Do you listen to Wizard Wrock, what do you think about it.
Day 29: Did you enjoy A Very Potter Musical.
Day 30: What affect has Harry Potter made on your life and how much does it mean to you


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Find a law firm, lawyer or solicitor in
Uckfield, East Sussex
Uckfield, East Sussex
Recommended business lawyers in Uckfield
The following commercial lawyers have been recommended by The Good Lawyer Guide in Uckfield. These solicitors may be contacted for business advice, commercial property, fraud and business crime, insolvency, licensing, planning and commercial litigation matters. Also search for conveyancing or employment lawyers or family law practices in Sussex.
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Graham Waite
G A WAITE SOLICITORRecommended for: Business advice, Business premises, Renting in CROWBOROUGH, EAST SUSSEX -
Juliet Bellis
JULIET BELLIS & CORecommended for: Suing, Business premises, Buying a flat or house in UCKFIELD, EAST SUSSEX - Suing lawyers, litigation solicitors


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Architecture and Planning
The Office of Architecture and Planning includes architectural professionals who provide design and review services for units on the University of Tennessee Health Science campus in Memphis, Tennessee. Clients request that our staff of architects and designers assist in the programming and design of your renovation projects. Our design professionals and support staff lead the client through each step and answer any questions the client may have along the way.
The Office of Architecture and Planning contracts with private consulting engineering firms to provide design services for electrical, heating ventilation and air conditioning, plumbing, structural, and civil engineering. Also available is environmental engineering service to help determine the existence of any hazardous materials that are encountered during a renovation or construction project. The cost of these engineering services for all phases must be reimbursed by the client department.
Available Architectural Services:
- Conceptual design and planning consultation
- Estimating services for all renovation and major work
- Bidding construction projects
- Construction Administration
- Review of building program documents and construction documents for capital outlay and capital maintenance projects.
- Preparation of construction documents and specifications for projects to be executed
by outside contractors and the Facilities Services Department
Coordination of external engineering consultants
*Master Building Plans are maintained in the Office of Architecture and Planning.


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Pearson is the world's leading learning company, with 48,000 employees in 70 countries and a strong consumer publishing division led by Penguin, which publishes over 4,000 fiction and non-fiction books each year, as well as the Financial Times newspaper (not included in this ranking).
Pearson has seen organic growth and made continuous investments over the past decade, overcoming the economic crisis of 2008 with total revenues of 4.4 billion GBP in 2007 to 6.1 billion GBP in 2012, and with profits rising from 600 million GBP to 950 million GBP.
Key Company Developments in 2012 & 2013
Pearson Education accounts for 76% (+1%) of the earnings and 84% (+4%) of the operating profit in 2012, Penguin for 17 % (-1%) of revenues and 11 % (-1%) of profits, and the Financial Times is stable at 7% of revenues and 8 % (-3%) of profits. 59% of revenues were earned in North America in 2012 (and 74% of profits, plus 7%), 22% of revenues (and 12% of profits, minus 9% ) came from Europe, and 13% of revenues (and 7% of profits) from Asia. While overall revenues of 6.11 billion GBP in 2012 were up 5%, operating profits were down 1% against 2011.
Return on investment was stable at 9.1%. Despite strong sales, earnings and cash were lower than the previous year.
For first quarter 2013, Pearson reported that results are in line with their expectations, with Penguin seeing "a good start to the year." Sales rose by 3% for the three months ending March 31st 2013, to 1.2 billion GBP.
Ownership, Mergers & Acquisition, Internal Organization:
John Fallon became Pearson's chief executive on January 1, 2013, succeeding Marjorie Scardino. Fallon spent four years as head of Pearson's international education division. A new leadership team was appointed in May 2013, and Pearson's portfolio will be structured with three global divisions (School, Higher Education and Professional) and three geographic market categories (North America, Growth and Core). The changes will take effect on January 1, 2014. Restructuring costs will amount to approximately 150 million GBP in 2013.
The merger of Penguin with Bertelsmann's Random House made headlines worldwide, as the combination makes for the world's largest consumer publishing company. Pearson holds 47% of the combined organization. The merger is expected to be completed in the second half of 2013. It has already been approved in the US, Australia, New Zealand, the EU and Canada. With the consent of the Chinese trade ministry in early June 2013, Random House and Penguin have the green light for their merger. The fusion is expected to be finished at the end of July 2013.
In July 2012, Pearson acquired self-publishing vendor Author Solutions for $116 million from Bertram Capital. It is one of the largest self-publishing ventures in the world and "will provide Penguin with 'scalable' data and expertise on self-publishing," according to Penguin CEO John Makinson. The acquisition builds on Penguin's launch last year of Book Country, a self-publishing service. In February 2013, Penguin India launched Patridge, a new self-publishing imprint, in partnership with Author Solutions.
At the end of 2012, Pearson announced an investment of $89.5 million in Nook Media, which gives the publisher a 5% stake in the company. Pearson is the third investor along with Barnes & Noble, whose stake slipped to 78.2%, and Microsoft, which holds 16.8%.
In March 2013, Pearson's employees in the English language teaching and language testing departments were told to expect layoffs. The entire ELT sales team at Pearson is affected. "The market is changing and to succeed we need to focus on a different set of capabilities. With this in mind, we have made the difficult decision to reorganise how we work, which will sadly mean the loss of a number of employees," a Pearson spokesperson said. The announcement was made just a few days after Oxford University Press made public their consulting with ELT department staff.
Pearson's push toward online educational services resulted in modest revenue growth for its North American education business, with services and digital learning revenues continuing to "grow rapidly" in 2012. In November 2012, North American Education acquired EmbanetCompass for 650 million USD. The company provides online learning solutions for universities. "The acquisition of EmbanetCompass extends Pearson's investment in two areas where we see great opportunities for growth and impact—online education and educational services," according to Will Ethridge, CEO of Pearson North America.
High-growth emerging markets such as China/Hong Kong, India, Africa, Central and Latin America, and the Middle East cover 1.24 million GBP of overall revenues.
Pearson's efforts in digital learning, education services and emerging markets come together in India, where the company joined a public-private partnership with the Central Board of Secondary Education to set up a research center and develop a school-based evaluation system. Pearson's role will extend to developing material for teacher training to promote clearer understanding of new policies in examination reform and evaluation, especially continuous and comprehensive evaluation.
For the first time in Pearson's history the digital and services business account for half of corporate revenues, or 3 billion GBP. New chief executive John Fallon announces to accelerate the shift from print to digital. At the trade arm of Penguin, eBook revenues accounted for 17% of Penguin revenues worldwide in 2012, up from 12% in 2011, and almost 30% in the US (20% in 2011).
In May, Penguin agreed to pay 75 million USD to settle allegations brought in the class-action e-book price fixing case. Last year Pearson settled for 40 million USD with the Department of Justice. The settlement must be approved by the US court. Penguin will pay more than the other publishers accused in the case (Macmillan 20 million USD, Simon & Schuster 18 million USD, Hachette 32 million USD, and HarperCollins 20 million USD).The deal left Apple alone at the defense table for the long-awaited price-fixing trial in June. The alleged conspiring publishers were accused of "negotiations for the launch of the Apple iBookstore, and the near simultaneous switch to the agency model in 2010, which attorneys argue was coordinated by publishers and Apple in an effort to counter Amazon's dominant position in the e-book business."
Penguin UK CEO Tom Weldon expected at least 15% of Penguin's profit this year to come from its Penguin Ventures program, dedicated to exploring new IP opportunities in children's publishing: "It is a shift in business strategy about how and where we are going to make money in children's. In the past, we have been buying book format rights, now what we are doing is increasing in the children's area broader property rights, so we can do TV, animations, apps, games, and virtual products." The publisher is partnering with various companies beyond publishing, including BBC, Nickelodeon, and The Gap clothing store. "We make stories and create brands," said Penguin Children's managing director Francesca Dow, using Disney's approach to explain the publisher's focus on building "brand ecosystems"—"thinking beyond the book" to create brands with merchandise, television programmes, films and web/digital identities, as well as books. Additionally, the publisher said it will use the Penguin brand on "all teen books going forward."
Bestselling Authors & Titles:
In 2012, Penguin represented ninety Top Ten bestsellers in the U.K., an increase of 78 in 2011. Strong non-fiction titles came from Jamie Oliver (15 Minute Meals), Daniel Kahneman (Thinking, Fast and Slow), and the Dorling Kindersley's Mary Berry's Complete Cookbook, which sold more than one million copies worldwiede.
In the US, 255 New York Times bestsellers were published, including No Easy Day, the autobiography of Navy Seal Mark Owen, Sylvia Day's erotic fiction Bared to You, which also joined the top segment in the U.K., and new titles from veteran bestselling authors such as Ken Follett, Nora Roberts, Tom Clancy and Harlan Coben.
Earlier Developments:
Pearson Education accounts for 75% of the earnings and 80% of operating profit in 2011; Penguin for 18% of revenues and 12% of profits; and the Financial Times for 7% of revenues and 8% of profits. Sixty percent of revenues were earned in North America in 2011 (along with 67% of profits), 23% of revenues (and 21% of profits) came from Europe, and 11% of revenues (and 6% of profits) from Asia. Overall revenues of 5.86 billion GBP in 2011 were up 6%, and operating profits were up 12% over 2010.
Return on investment was 9.1 %.
In 2011, Pearson made approximately 500 million GBP in organic investments, notably for new learning programs and technologies, to acquire new authors, and to venture into new markets.
Despite losing two of its largest customers, the U.S. book chain Borders, and the REDGroup in Australia and New Zealand, Penguin kept revenues at 2010 levels and gained market share.
The reshaping of Pearson continues to have a significant impact on financial results (the sale of of Interactive Data in July 2010, selling a 50% stake in FTSE International to the London Stock Exchange in December 2011).
Acquisitions, primarily in the education division, contributed 262 million GBP to sales and 39 million GBP to operating profits in 2011.
In July 2010, Pearson started a strategic partnership with the Brazilian Sistema Educacional Brasileiro (SEB), acquiring SEB's textbook business.
In January 2012, Penguin bought a 45% stake in Companhia das Letras, one of the leading trade and literature publishers in Brazil.
The international education business is expected to show strong growth in 2012, with strong opportunities in China, SouthEast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa--notably for digital learning, English language teaching and institutional services.
In U.S. educational operations, a focus was laid on technology services branded as LearningStudio (formerly known as eCollege), OpenClass, PowerSchool, the MyLabs, Data Solutions, Schoolnet, and Connections Education, and in 2011 the company's focus on digital services in education helped "to perform ahead of our more traditional print publishing markets, which were adversely affected by state budget pressures and decline in college enrolments." (AR 2012)
Pearson's "Wall Street English" expanded to China. A school service business was rolled out in India.
Digital businesses in 2011 contributed roughly 33% of Pearson's sales, almost 2 billion GBP. Five years ago, they were 20%, or 720 million GBP. At the trade arm of Penguin, e-book revenues accounted for 12% of Penguin revenues worldwide in 2011, up from 6% in 2010, and a further significant increase is expected for 2012.
Click here to return to the full listing of the world's largest publishers.


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A Delivery Service That Genuinely Cares
Hiring a courier service isn't just about finding someone who can transport your items from point A to point B. It's about trust and security. A package may equate to years' memories, months' worth of hard work, and even a simple message of "I love you" or "I'll be home soon" that can complete someone's day.
Filipinos abroad know this situation too well. They want someone to treat their balikbayan boxes like their close relatives do – with utmost care – but at the same time, deliver them on schedule.
Team XYZ incorporates speed and efficiency in their work but understands sentiment, because they know Filipino-oriented values, you're assured that they're aware of your expectations.
Our Vision In its mission of becoming one of the leading door-to-door cargo forwarders, XYZ Global Express is ready to render world class, high quality service to the Filipino-American community. The company believes that when diversity is valued and respected, services rendered will ensure customer satisfaction and will guarantee a positive community image for itself.Knowing that diversity and inclusion are critical components of success, XYZ Global Express strives to create a positive working environment for its employees. It knows that by creating a high performing environment, XYZ Global Express ensures that its employees are able to make a world of difference in their everyday dealings. XYZ Global Express is also confident that their main product – Excellent Service – will be able to meet the standards of quality in the industry. By demonstrating a high degree of patience and tolerance, and by ensuring fast and reliable service, XYZ is able to achieve unparalleled success and total customer satisfaction. And because their primary customers are Filipinos from the US, the company understands the importance of values especially when it comes to patience and hospitality.
Company Profile For 3 years, prior to it's opening on August 2013, the people behind XYZ Global Express had been researching, developing and preparing for the challenges that lie ahead. With its main office and warehouse located in Downey, California, XYZ GLOBAL EXPRESS also has branches in Northern California, Las Vegas, Texas, and all over Southern California, The company has plans to expand to other states in the coming years. In the Philippines, the company's offices are located in Clarkfield, Pampanga. Emphasizing on delivering total customer satisfaction, XYZ Global Express promises to be as efficient as the other companies that are already established in the industry.
US Operations
Philippine Operations


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The mega-yacht wars have escalated, with a Middle-Eastern billionaire building a 590-foot ship that's expected to be the largest yacht in the world when it launches next year.
The ship, called Azzam, is under construction at a shipyard in Germany, according to SuperYachtTimes.com. It's expected to measure 180 meters, or around 590 feet — or the size one-and-a half football fields, plus a basketball court.
That length would surpass the world's current largest yacht, the 546-foot Eclipse, owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.


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TOKYO, Jan. 25 (Kyodo) — A state-backed corporate turnaround fund is encouraging Sony Corp., NEC Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. to merge their lithium-ion battery businesses in the face of intensifying international competition, sources close to the matter said Friday.
The Innovation Network Corp. of Japan and the three companies are aiming to reach an agreement on the merger plan within fiscal 2013, with the fund offering to invest in the merged entity, they said.
Automotive Energy Supply Corp., the Nissan-NEC venture that produces lithium-ion batteries for vehicles, is being encouraged to take a majority stake in Sony's battery unit, according to the sources.
Sony Energy Devices Corp. makes lithium-ion batteries for mobile phones and personal computers. Sony has been looking to sell the battery unit as it faces an uphill battle with its South Korean rivals.
The plan is aimed at preventing overseas makers from capturing key technologies of the Japanese manufacturers amid wide interest from overseas in Sony's battery unit, but the sources said it remains uncertain whether the merger will be realized due to differences between the parties concerned.


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About a week ago, late one night, I created a proposal. The title was:
Strictly Programming Questions, Really
(Some of you might note the acronym.)
The description was, in essence, the 'anti-subjective' view of Stack Overflow. Answerable questions about programming -- no careers, jokes, project management, polls, baseless speculation about the future of languages or platforms, or other things with a 'subjective' tag.
About 12 hours later, before much of anyone noticed it, I deleted it. I just didn't want to risk the wrath of whoever.
However, it left me thinking. Could a community jell on good and bad question for Stack Overflow? Or would it bog down hopelessly in controversy? Would the management tolerate the launch of such a site in the event that it actually passed the definition and commitment gauntlets?
And, perhaps more to the point, would it make sense to post this proposal and walk through the definition phase, and then apply the results to Stack Overflow?


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Waterloo, Toronto officials hope to create tech 'supercluster'
by David Friend, The Canadian Press
In a sector that thrives on strong collaboration, poor transportation infrastructure is causing interference
WATERLOO, Ont:—Ask city officials in Kitchener and Waterloo, Ont., where the future of Canada's technology sector lies, and they'll show you a map of Silicon Valley.
The bustling stretch between sunny San Francisco and San Jose—home to giants like Google and Apple—has become the template for a new vision of Ontario's technology sector, which is redefining itself in the wake of BlackBerry's massive layoffs.
Instead of going it solo, Waterloo organizers hope to mimic Silicon Valley by strengthening ties to tech organizations in Toronto. The goal is creating a new technology "supercluster," said Iain Klugman, president and CEO of Communitech, a government-funded organization that rallies behind Waterloo technology firms.
"We need to gang up to take on the world," he said.
"Toronto and Waterloo are different enough that we each bring something significant to the table. It's a massive asset we've got."
In the past, complementary traits between the two cities were rarely synchronized, which left both isolated, even though together they employ more than 205,000 people in the tech sector.
Communitech estimates it worked with 802 active startups over the past year, with 464 of them putting roots down in Waterloo during the same period.
While numbers for Toronto are more fragmented, organizations there suggest about 1,500 active startups exist in the area.
Here's where the potential lies, said Rod Regier, executive director of economic development in Kitchener.
Waterloo, like San Jose, is widely regarded as the brain centre of Canada's tech talent, helped by the steady flow of graduates from the University of Waterloo. Toronto, like San Francisco, is an international travel hub with a large chunk of the country's venture capitalists located on Bay Stret in the downtown core.
"What I'm not saying is that we're trying to replicate Silicon Valley or anything like that," Regier said. "We just need to be more strategic."
Unlike Silicon Valley, where developed suburban communities fill in the gaps, the link between Waterloo and Toronto is tenuous. A journey down Highway 401 from Waterloo begins with mostly farmland and cement barriers until near Toronto when a concentration of industrial buildings eventually give way to the big city.
Silicon Valley could have been described in a similar way, but the presence of Stanford University and its graduates laid the foundation for a thriving community built decades ago _ first on silicon chip innovation and innovative companies like Hewlett-Packard and Xerox. Since then, the region has grown to include software and Internet giants such as Netflix, Amazon and Pixar.
Ontario has struggled to define itself as a technology centre. Ottawa thrived for years as Silicon Valley North, an epicentre of growth with companies such as Nortel Networks and JDS Uniphase Corp. employing thousands during the dot-com boom.
After the bust, BlackBerry emerged in Waterloo as a force to be reckoned with as smartphones became mainstream and international names like Huawei Technologies, Cisco Systems and Rockstar Games moved into the region.
While all of this happened, Toronto sat on the outskirts of the technology booms as more of an afterthought.
"One of the problems with Toronto is that the ecosystem is highly fragmented geographically," said John Ruffolo, CEO of the venture capital wing of the Ontario Municipal Employee Retirement System.
"A key ingredient is the physicality of people and ideas colliding with each other serendipitously. The next evolution is to connect the two dots."
Underdeveloped transit infrastructure may be the best place to start.
Last week, Ontario Transportation Minister Glen Murray unveiled plans to help bridge the gap that's hindered development in the region. The provincial government says it would consider a high-speed rail line between London, Kitchener-Waterloo and Toronto, as part of an environmental assessment scheduled for the fall.
The rail line would address persistent complaints that there's a lack of sufficient public transit between Waterloo and Toronto, and infrequent Go Train schedules that have left commuters frustrated and turning to the highway in droves.
Large companies, like Google and Open Text, have tried lighten the burden on employees with coach buses that ship them from Toronto to Waterloo for regular collaboration sessions with their colleagues.
Smaller companies don't necessarily have it so easy.
At startup Tulip Retail, employees have spent countless hours on Highway 401 as they frequently travel from the company's offices in downtown Toronto to an outpost in Waterloo.
Chief operating officer April Dunford says the drive, which is supposed to be 90 minutes, can turn into more than three hours on a bad traffic day. She remembers one instance when a jackknifed truck blocked the highway and nearly erased an entire day of work.
"We got there, worked for a few hours, and then we had to turn around and come back," Dunford said.
"There really is no substitute for a certain amount of physical face-to-face time, and that's the hardest part of this."
For organizations dedicated to growing the region, the challenge will be changing the way they think about Ontario's technology industry.
In recent years, several groups were founded to represent tech companies throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Each one aimed for development within their own municipalities as a priority, which meant they were all fending for themselves.
Communitech hopes to usher in change that will link with neighbouring cities to capitalize on the growing number of tech businesses in the area. Already the organizations have begun to strategize through co-ordination calls and referral programs designed to help companies in Waterloo connect with government funded organizations in other cities.
"They successfully built a culture in Waterloo," said Jeremy Laurin, CEO at VentureLAB, which represents the York region.
"So let's all grab an oar and row the boat together."
In the meantime, Ontario's technology sector continues to grow at a staggering pace.
Last week, software company Open Text pledged to create 1,200 jobs in the province over the next seven years with the help of a grant from the provincial government.
Google is expanding its presence too, moving from a small office to a 185,000 square foot space in Kitchener later this year that could mean further hiring is in the works.
"There's tremendous opportunity for us to continue that growth," said Salim Teja, managing director at the Mars centre, which helps startups get their footing in Toronto.
"It's not going to happen overnight."


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
Show All Answers
Leak Detection Tips
Water hardness in the Township depends on what system your property pulls water from. The North System has 18 grains of hardness and the South System has 12 grains of hardness.
1. You can mail in your payment to our offices at 1281 Hammond Road, White Bear Township, MN 55110. 2. You can drop off your payment at our offices at 1281 Hammond Road. 3. You can sign up for auto pay and have your payment automatically withdrawn from a checking or savings account each quarter on the due date. To sign up for Automatic Withdrawal (ACH) click on the link below or visit our Utility Billing page under the Finance Page. 4. Or you can pay online with a debit or credit card ( a convenience fee applies).
Utility Bills are billed out quarterly in the Township.
The current rates can be viewed here.
North System - 18 grains of hardness
South System - 12 grains of hardness
Contact the Township for iron content based on the area of the Township you live in.
* A permit is required to install a water softener!


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Sally Ride
Sally Ride was born in California in 1951. She gave up a career as a professional tennis player to study astrophysics and later joined NASA's astronaut training program.
In June of 1983, Sally became the first American woman in space as flight engineer and mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. She later served on the thirteenth Space Shuttle Mission.
Today, Sally is professor and head of the Space Institute at the University of California at San Diego.


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Good morning! Many of you probably already know that I'm always trying to come up with creative ways to get Syd to eat and enjoy her veggies. Well this weekend I came up with a way to get her excited about eating raw veggies, including salad. We had tons of fun making spring rolls!
I filled the table with fun plates and bowls of carrots, rice, salad, chicken, and boiled eggs.
Then, I let Syd go to town building and rolling her own spring rolls. (with just a little help) Continue reading


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San Diego County Credit Union Will Host Used Car Super Sale on Saturday, July 13
SAN DIEGO, CA (July 10, 2013) — San Diego County Credit Union® (SDCCU®), San Diego's largest locally-owned financial institution, will host a used car super sale in the parking lot at their administrative building located at 6545 Sequence Drive in Mira Mesa from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 13th. The public is invited to attend.
Approximately 275 late-model, low-mileage cars, trucks and SUVs will be available for sale from the Penske Automotive Group, Inc., which operates 13 dealerships in the Southern California area. Trade-ins are welcome, SDCCU encourages the public to bring their vehicle whether it's paid for or not. Up to 100% financing, 90 days no payments, generous terms and auto loan rates as low as 0.99% APR will be available, along with special pricing on all vehicles. Please bring current driver license, proof of insurance and current pay-stub with you to the sale. For more information, call (877) 732-2848 or visit www.sdccu.com.
San Diego County Credit Union is San Diego's largest locally-owned financial institution serving San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties. SDCCU has assets of over $6.2 billion, more than 247,000 customers, 31 convenient branch locations and 30,000 surcharge-FREE ATMs. From FREE Checking with eStatements and SDCCU Mobile Deposit, to home and auto loans, Visa credit cards, money market accounts and business banking services, including commercial real estate loans; SDCCU provides breakthrough banking products that meet the demands of today's lifestyle and delivers banking services that save customers money. Federally insured by NCUA and is an equal housing lender. For more information, visit www.sdccu.com.


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Phoenix – The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors seeks applicants for appointment to the position of West McDowell Justice Precinct Constable. Constable Rudy Santa Cruz has retired, leaving the office vacant.
Constables execute and serve warrants, protective orders, summonses and subpoenas, and other justice court orders including evictions. By law, the appointee must be a Democrat, like Santa Cruz, live in the West McDowell Justice Precinct, and be a registered Arizona voter. The Board of Supervisors will fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term which ends December 31, 2022.
Applicants should send their letters of interest along with a resume to the Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85003 or email@example.com. Applications will be accepted through Friday, March 5, 2021 at 5pm. All applicants will be subject to a background check including a financial review.
The West McDowell Precinct lies to the west of downtown Phoenix in Supervisorial District 5. Go here to see an interactive map of the precinct boundaries. Please direct any questions to David Galaviz firstname.lastname@example.com, Board of Supervisors, District 5 office.


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Place these decals indoor or outdoors! On your car, laptop, fridge or anywhere else you can think of that will be sure to start a conversation about Reformed Theology and Jesus Christ.
These vinyl decals are high quality and UV weather resistant and sure to last for a very long time.
Placement: These decals are backed by a strong adhesive. So ensure the location where you place them is cleaned and smooth for the best results.
Size: 3.375" x 4.75"H


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Finally it starts! The Apricot team has been selected and is ready to
make a smashing game using Crystal Space and Blender. In order to support this Apricot project (and support Crystal Space!) you can pre-order the DVD. This is very important for us as it gives us the needed funds to make sure the project can go for six months. You can get more information and pre-order information at The Apricot Blog. Thanks for your support!


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Prince: Around the World in a Day vinyl
The first of the Prince vinyl reissues in the schedules is 1985's Around The World in a Day and it is now available to pre-order in the UK and Germany, as well as across the Atlantic.
You will note below that in the UK Amazon have this listed at a very low price (!) which is more or less guaranteed not to be honoured, and we expect this to be updated very soon.
This new vinyl reissue of Around The World In A Day will be issued on 8 July 2016. For more info on Prince vinyl reissues see this post.
Compare prices and pre-order
Around the World in a Day [VINYL]
Side one
1. "Around the World in a Day" 3:28
2. "Paisley Park" 4:42
3. "Condition of the Heart" 6:48
4. "Raspberry Beret" 3:33
5. "Tamborine" 2:47
Side two
6. "America" 3:42
7. "Pop Life" 3:43
8. "The Ladder" 5:29
9. "Temptation" 8:18


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Sweet, I will check the app out.
Aqua Mail Pro Key is available in the Google Play store for US$4.95.
If you've been thinking that there must be a better way to handle email than the email client supplied natively in Android, I bring good news: There is, and it's called "Aqua Mail."
I have been looking for a more professional solution to email-on-the-go because, as things are right now, my on-device solutions are a bit of a mess.
Email Madness
I have my Gmail-produced work emails appearing in the Gmail client, while my personal, custom-domain email is housed in the Android-native client. Being old, I've also grown up with Outlook on my desktop, and I get Gmail to forward important stuff to Outlook still.
I then have a filtered Gmail email account just for life-threatening brush fire alerts — important because of where I live — that I want to treat differently from other messages.
Then, compounding the confusion, I need to use Gmail's outgoing servers for everything, rather than anyone else's because home-grown ISP-outgoing servers are blocked from some places I go (for unknown reasons, although possibly spam-related).
It's only a matter of time before I create an infinite email loop and become buried, possibly never to resurface. All-in-all, this organically grown, multiple-account-and-client kit and caboodle needs streamlining.
Enter Aqua Mail
Kostya Vasilyev's Aqua Mail app jumped out at me in the Google Play store while I was exploring resolutions to my exploding email problem, primarily because of its remarkably high ratings.
It was when I delved into the options available that it became apparent that this was likely to be a seriously well-spent five bucks. The Aqua Mail Pro Key is $4.95 in the Google Play store.
The paid version, which is the version that I've been testing, adds multiple account functionality. It includes aliases and removes the promotional signature. However, the free version may suffice for many.
Some of its features are simply brilliant: unique WiFi and mobile network treatment of email; night mode for quiet sounds and vibration, robust business email handling like IMAP push email.
It's probably these micro-features that make the app.
You can set mail checking on unique event types. You can set accounts to check email using the normal sync settings or only on a WiFi connection — useful for saving data. You can even sync when background data is off.
The setup was incredibly simple. While I did have to enter POP3 accounts manually for my GoDaddy domain name email account, I was able to configure my Gmail work mail with just a user name and password.
One of my favorite features in this app is the color chip functionality in the smart folder, a compendium of in-boxes. Each account is color-coded, and each sender without a contact image is allocated a color, along with a large name initialed icon.
A Few Fails
The only real disappointment I found is that you can't set an account-specific night mode. I'd have liked to be able to have my emergency alert account wake me at night, whereas my other email accounts should go dormant.
In fact, I'd have liked to have seen more account-specific settings available overall rather than blanket app settings.
Ironically, this has meant that I haven't yet dumped the Gmail client because Gmail does allow for unique notifications if you tie it in with the notification app Light Flow.
Aqua Mail is supposedly compatible with Light Flow as well as alert app Tasker.
So, I will explore configuring a night mode with a combination of these apps and Aqua Mail. That's really where Aqua Mail excels — it has enough micro-settings and permutations to keep an experimenter happy.
Whatever shortfalls this app might have, and they're not many, it's fun to set up, and you can't really say that about the native Android offering.